An Evaluation Of Product Descriptions And Brand Trust As Influencers Of Purchase Intent In A Luxury Second Hand Ecommerce Shopping Environment, Nyiesha Jones

Research Psychology Theses

In a world where fashion is a one-and-done look for an Instagram photo, represents 4% of global waste, and is growing at a rate of 11 times faster than traditional retail, there is a growing interest to reduce the carbon footprint of fashion by offering outlets for consumers to circulate their wardrobe through consignment opposed to throwing it away (Bird, 2018). Research has been done to evaluate the importance of information on e-commerce websites, with little focus on secondhand e-commerce. Previous research on secondhand shopping focuses mostly on shopping motivations, but once a customer has decided to shop secondhand what …

Toddler Characteristics And Attention, Lani A. Taylor

Research Psychology Theses

Abstract

Individual differences have become increasingly relevant when addressing variability across child development. Literature bears evidence that these differences may impact a toddler’s ability to respond to Joint Attention (JA). JA refers to a communicative gaze and pointing between a child and another individual. JA has been recognized as being a critical milestone, to the formation and cultivation of shared awareness and attention of an event or object. JA is a skill that is critical to the development of future language acquisition (Vaughan Van Hecke et al., 2007). The aim of this study is to measure whether child characteristics, such …

Distress And Growth In The Black Community, Devin A. Noel-Harrison

Research Psychology Theses

Racial discrimination is an unfortunate reality that people of color regularly experience. This leaves lasting impacts on the health of individuals and communities. With the increased use of social media, videos depicting violence against black bodies are widely circulated. The consequences of being exposed to these race related traumatic events online (TEO) can be damaging to the mental health of the black community, maybe even more so if one’s racial identity is important and salient to their overall wellbeing. Though witnessing these race related TEO often lead to posttraumatic stress, positive change may also be possible known as posttraumatic growth.

The Sex Difference In Depressive Symptoms Among College Students, Penelope E. Seminario

Research Psychology Theses

The sex difference in depression is a well-established and replicated clinical finding, with previous literature indicating that females report more depression than males. However, recent theory and research suggests the sex gap in depressive symptoms may have declined or been eliminated in recent years. The current study examined depressive symptoms among a current (2017-2021) cohort of 1377 undergraduates (18-29 years; M=19.80, 79% female) using the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). I hypothesized that the current sex difference in depressive symptoms would be small or nonsignificant. Results indicated that although males reported more anhedonia (t = 2.65, …

Simulated Owl Predation During Foraging Differentially Alters Choice And Fear Behavior Between Sex In Rats, Meghan M. Olsen

Research Psychology Theses

Existing research on the predator cue circuit has indicated there are observed differences between sexes of animals either directly or indirectly exposed to a predator stimulus. Exposure increases predator directed attention, and overrides other motivational systems (hunger, pain, reproductive behavior). Little research has explored whether exposure to predation is associated with differential responses to non-predator related decision-making across a variety of tasks. Therefore, understanding the prioritization of motivational states when a predator stressor is present can aid in understanding sex differences in these processes in both adaptative and maladaptive conditions. To determine how repeated exposure to a predator stressor differentially …

Effects Of New Seal Introductions On Conspecific And Visitor Activity, Emily J. Northey

Research Psychology Theses

Modern zoos and aquariums are defined by several primary goals, which include improving the welfare of their animals, public education, and inspiring visitors to develop an interest in conservation. Animal-Visitor Interactions (AVIs) (i.e., the impact of captive animals and visitors on each other) are a primary means to study these goals. The introduction of new animals into two seal exhibits – the harbor and Northern fur seals – at the Seattle Aquarium presented a valuable opportunity to assess the impacts of both introductions and AVIs on visitors and currently exhibited animals. The impacts of animal introductions were measured through direct …

It's Not You, It's Me: Shame And Misrepresentation In Online Dating, Diedrah Todd

Research Psychology Theses

In the U.S. public opinion about online dating is overall positive with 54% of Americans reporting that relationships that start online through an app or dating site are just as successful as relationships that begin in-person. In dating, success is linked to desirable characteristics such as resources or physical appearance. However, feelings of external shame, which is when a person perceives themselves as existing negatively in the mind of another person is a powerful motivator for avoiding being seen as socially unacceptable. Being seen as socially undesirable as a result of feeling as though oneself is lacking in desirable characteristics …